Psychiatrist Appointment

[katiekat]

Well, I really don't know what to say right now. The psychiatrist did not clear anything up for us. He rubbed us the wrong way from the get go. He found it very hard to believe that my husband has has custody of Sean since he was 1. He even said"you didnt send him to go live with your parents for a time?" He put his hand up to me and would not let me speak since I am just the stepmother. My h straightened him out real quick and told him that if he wants any info. he will need to speak to me. Then all he could focus on was that Sean was not raised by his mother. Sean would have these problems whether or not he lived with her in fact he would be worse. He agrees with the ADHD and Bipolar but not so much the Aspergers. He said he thinks it may be attachment disorder. He said he can not diagnose him for sure because of all the issues. He put him on Abilify. Then I get home and get a call that they no longer accept our insurance. Right now I am going to scream.

[misty]

OH NO! KK, I'm so sorry.I know you had such high hopes for today's appointment. That psych sounds like a complete idiot! (I'd have used a stronger word, but our censors would just turn it into something goofy so idiot will have to do). Its appalling to me that he didn't listen to you & your husband. Of course he couldn't diagnose Sean...how could he without listening to all the facts & getting the complete picture! ARGH....this makes me so MAD!

[bugsmom]

KK, I don't even know what to say. I am at a total loss for words, so I can't even imagine what you are feeling right now.

Like Misty said, the doctor is an idiot. I can't even believe that you were treated that way! What a total disappointment. I don't even get the insurance thing...what, it changed in an hour?

I would definately start Sean on the Abilify. If the bipolar dx is correct (which I think it is) this should help. I've heard very good things about this med for bipolar.

I can't even think about you trying to find another doctor, it just brings me to tears. Many hugs to you today...

[katiekat]

Oh yeah, he didn't even want to read what I had typed up for him-at the suggestion of the therapist I had written a kind of timeline. He said he didn't have time for that. And also he said no to the whole Aspergers thing and then suggested we go look at this school in our area that is for autistic kids and said he believes Sean should be sent out of district for school. I will probably remember things in bits and pieces as I was just blown away by his whole demeanor and am still seething.
I am going to give him the Abilify and see if anything good comes of that. What a disappointment.

[charliegirl]

KK, How old was Sean when you came into his life? If his birth mom wasn't nurturing, she could have caused the attatchment disorder even before they split up. An infant needs to be held and given the chance to bond with someone so if she didn't bond with him and your dh was working a lot or staying away from her so he didn't have the time to bond with Sean, its possible. It may be one piece of the puzzle.

I have a problem believing that is the entire problem but I do think its possibly a part of it. The best way to find out is to research it and find out what to look for. Possibly Sean has bipolar or aspergers and combined with the attatchment disorder it is making it hard for anyone to diagnose him.

Contact the psych's office and ask for a referral to one who does take your insurance.

I find it strange that he says Sean doesn't have aspergers but he wants you to look into a school for kids with autism. I don't understand that.

I hope the abilify helps.

[carol]

Hi KK,

I am sorry to here your appointment left you without the answers you needed for Sean. You know, I do not know you very well or Sean, for that matter, but I can empathize with your plights. I have read some of your old posts. I am not a doctor, but an educator. Sean does seem complex. You mentioned a number of dxs, and I could be way off, but have you researched Pervasive Development Disorder (PDD). It has a subtype, PDD-NOS which means the systoms are not in such a regimented mold.The growling was a red flag for me, the rituals you talked about in another post, the anger and inconsistent behavior. I do not know him enough, but does he have any friends? Meaning, can he have a reciprocal conversation with another child? Does he socialize with a circle of friends appropriately, ever? Does he exhibit any type of hand-flapping? PDD can look like other dxs. My thoughts are with you and your son. I know he has a bio mother, but you are there investing time and love into this child. The psychiatrist was wrong in attempting to exclude you. I wanted you to know that.

[jj]

KK, I too am very angry that psychiatrist treated you that way....I'm seething. I'm so terribly sorry.

I had the same reaction as Charliegirl. Why did he so readily dismiss aspergers and then turn around and tell you to see about a school for autism. That just doesn't make sense.

A also think a lot of what Carol said should be looked into as that is very much a possibility.

[carol]

KK,

Here is just one of many websites. www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs20txt.htm
These children can have ADHD or just exhibit ADHD-like symptoms. If you feel in your heart that Sean exhibits enough symptoms to fit on the spectrum, my advice to you is to go to the horse's mouth. In PA, we have a Center for Autism to evaluate children. I do not know if there is one in your area. If anything, they should rule it in or out and then put it to rest for you. I had a little boy last year in my class who had classic PDD symptoms. His mother took him for a private eval and the doctor concluded it that he had it and needed an AS classroom. (Autistic Support) Our school put him in Learning Support because that is the way it is done. He was in a classroom of 4 other children. He kept attacking the teacher and doing the same behaviors he had in my classroom of 19 children. I remember him having some good days, but he lacked the ability to interact appropriately with the other children. He had sensory issues which surfaced more when I took him out of the room. The fact that he is in Learning Support instead of Autistic Support saddens me. It is a bad analogy, but I compare placing this child in Learning Support as prescribing an antibiotic for the wrong infection. He still is not getting the proper teaching modality he needs to succeed. Whatever it is for Sean, when presented with the proper teaching modality which is in synch with Sean, only then will he thrive as he deserves as any other child.

[katiekat]

When I met Sean he was 3. I do agree that he does show many of the symptoms of RAD. I investigated this when a friend of mine said that Sean acted a lot like her son who had RAD. He had been adopted at the age of 8 from an orphanage in a 3rd world country. I CAN see why the doctor thought this. It just seemed to me that the fact Sean doesnt live with bio mom became his sole focus.
As far as PDD/NOS I don't think this describes him at all. I actually know 2 kids-one from work and one a friends daughter who I have known for many years DX with PDD. I personally think Aspergers fits him much better. He does not have any friends, he just doesn't seem to "fit in." He is very akward in social situations. He does not stim-no rocking, hand-flapping etc.
It is very complex I believe but the way that man spoke to me had me furious.
As far as the insurance goes they stopped accepting it between the time I made the appointment over 2 months ago and now.

[carol]

I will keep Sean, you and your family in my thoughts and my prayers. I am a good listener. Just take one day at a time.